Paul Dunne shook off last week’s Sun City ‘jitters’ to muscle his way into a share of fourth place and just two off the lead heading to second round of the season-ending DP World Tour Championship in Dubai.
Dunne didn’t drop a shot in a five-under par 67 to end his first round on the Earth course at Jumeirah Estates just two adrift of American Patrick Reed.
Reed, a member of the recent victorious USA Presidents Cup side, birdied three of closing four holes in a sizzling seven-under 65 for a one-shot lead in the $US8m event.
Justin Rose and big-hitting Aussie Scott Hend share second with 66s and for Rose to steal a big advantage of Race to Dubai rival Tommy Fleetwood who struggled with a 72.
Paul Dunne drives off the second on route to a 67 on day one of the DP World Tour Championship. (Photo – European Tour/Getty)
Dunne went missing for the first three days at last week’s Nedbank Challenge and with the reigning British Masters champ only surfacing at Sun City thanks to a closing 66 to end just inside the top-30.
He ended the first round enjoying a six-way tie for fourth and alongside reigning champion, Matthew Fitzpatrick.
“To be honest this course looks nice and wide off the tee compared to last week,” Dunne said.
“I had four days last week of the jitters on every tee box looking out at the bush in South Africa so the course this week definitely suits my eye a bit more.
“Everything felt pretty tidy out there today and I never felt like I was in danger of dropping a shot and hopefully I can continue like that over the next few days.”
Dunne’s effort has not only boosted hopes of a second Tour success but also ignited his goal of qualifying early next year for the Thomas Bjorn European EurAsia Cup side to tackle Asia in Kuala Lumpur.
“Everybody is playing for something different this week, for some it’s the Race to Dubai and others trying to get into the Top 30 for the Open qualification,” he said.
“For me it’s getting into the EurAsia Cup team. I know I need a decent week here to make that team so that has been my motivation this week, I know if I win that will be me sorted so that’s the goal.”
Shane Lowry, and the only other Irishman in the Dubai field, capped his round of a three-under 69 with an 18th hole birdie to be sharing 16th place in the elite 60-player field.
“It’s a nice start and I am happy with that today,” he said.
“I have never played early in the morning over here and the golf course plays much longer in the morning so there were a few par 5s out of reach and I was hitting longer clubs than normal into holes.
“I have a later time tomorrow so looking forward to that.
“Apart from the bad bogey I made on 12, I was very happy with that today, it was very solid.
“This is my eighth event in nine weeks so it’s going to get difficult at times, but I will keep grinding and doing what I am doing and see where that takes me on Sunday.”
Rose grabbed a huge psychological advantage over Fleetwood and his long-haired countryman knowing if the pair were to finish where they now stand after one round, Rose would win the No. 1 crown.
“There’s two things to think about this week: winning the golf tournament and winning the Race to Dubai,” Rose said.
“I know that if I do one of those, the first one, then the second one happens.
“I’ve just got to try and put together a really good final three rounds and do what I always do.
“So, I am really happy with that as a start. I wanted to come out today with good intent and get myself moving forward quickly. Been fortunate enough to have won the last two events but been doing so from quite a long way behind and you can’t always rely on that.
“I was definitely keen today to come out and try and get going as quick as I could this week and see where it goes from here.”
Masters winner Sergio Garcia, who is the only other golfer mathematically in with a chance of winning the Race to Dubai, posted an opening score of 70.
